Local farmers seeing growing market

Sunday

May 18, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By Danielle AmedenDaily News Staff

Fresh produce wasnít so popular back in the 1980s when Tom Hanson took over the Framingham land his family had farmed for three generations.While his father had great success selling vegetables wholesale, the market wasnít as strong by the time Hanson took charge. So he scaled back the growing operation and introduced hayrides and "U-pick," trying to make Hansonís Farm a family destination.Then the local food movement exploded. Hanson is now selling produce by popular demand at farmers markets, his farm stand on Nixon Road and through shares of community supported agriculture (CSA)."I had all of the old equipment - some of it was horse-drawn but it still worked. Weíre growing things like potatoes again," he said. "Itís an exciting time to be back in farming."Hanson and other farmers in MetroWest and the Milford area say theyíre busy keeping up with a high demand for fresh, local produce, even as more farms crop up.New results from the lastest USDAís†agriculture census show the total number of farms in Massachusetts grew from 7,691 in 2007 to 7,755 in 2012. And small farms, 10 acres or under, saw an even bigger uptick, up by six percent from 2,199 to 2,322.Richard Bonanno, president of the Marlborough-based Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, said more farmers are working on basically the same amount of farmland.The trend is good, and with CSAs and farmers markets so popular, Bonanno said there seems to be "room for everybody.""When you have a lot of farmers and you have a big population base, itís pretty much whatever type of market you want to focus on, there seems to be opportunity there," Bonanno said."Where if anything there seems to be competition and a glut or issues is really in farmers' markets, because there are so many of them now," he said.In Franklin, Nick Hoffmann is finding success in his second year of growing eggplant, corn, peppers and many other types of produce on a plot off Daniels Street.The 35-year-old, originally from Florida, got his start in farming in western Mass. "My wifeís aunt owned this land in Franklin and she offered it to us to start a farm here so we bit the bullet," he said.Hoffmann said his CSA sales have doubled in a year and his 50 shares are sold out.He sells at the Franklin Farmers Market and at his farm stand, too, but said he likes doing the CSA because he doesnít have to worry about marketing what he picks."You have your crop pretty much sold before you put it in the ground, which is huge," he said.The farm offers full shares for $600 and half shares for $350, then harvests and bundles its bounty for customers to come pick on a regular schedule all season long.Stearns Farm in Framingham has been doing a CSA since 1990, with founder Penelope Turton "really at the vanguard" of the movement, board member Nomi Sofer said.Sofer said more CSAs and farmersí markets have made selling shares a bit more challenging."Itís good for all of us that thereís so much interest in local and sustainable agriculture," she said.The farm had recently sold about 95 percent of its 160 shares. Stearns prices full shares at $680 for 20 pickups, and half shares at $370 for alternate week pickup.And it requires sharers to pitch in with planting, weeding and other field labor."Youíre really getting to grow your own food, which is really unique," Sofer said.Jacqueline Meninno, manager of the Framingham Farmers Market, said it goes hand-in-hand for people to buy CSA shares and also shop at farmers markets.She has a share through Hansonís Farm and said she loves the huge amount of bounty, although she has to get creative to use up or freeze the armfuls of fresh corn, eggplants and other veggies she takes home all summer long.She joked, "Iíve got to get a goat to get rid of the kale - sometimes it is overwhelming.""You just feel the benefits everywhere," she said of the CSA. "Itís local, youíre supporting your local farmer, youíre supporting local agriculture. Itís really nice."Hanson, who aims to sell 200 CSA shares this year, said he still has some available.He said itís gratifying that people are now valuing locally grown food.Local farms are vital, he said, especially since Californiaís historic drought may soon cause the cost of fruits and vegetables shipped across country to our grocery stores to jump. Food shortages may be imminent, Hanson said."The idea of having a local food supply is very, very important," he said. "Our farms are going to be more important than ever."Danielle Ameden can be reached at 508-626-4416 or dameden@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @damedenMW.

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